The only goal of the match came with 5:13 left in the first half when NCCS’s Hayden Schad finished a chance created by Kaze Carpenter after an unlucky bounce in the Spartans’ defensive third. Despite that setback, Saranac responded with determination, pushing numbers forward in the second half and generating stretches of possession.

Defensively, the Spartans held firm after the early miscue, keeping the Cougars from adding to their total and giving themselves a chance to equalize.

Head coach Calvin Hamel credited his team’s effort and stressed that persistence will pay off. “The bounces aren’t going our way right now. We will continue to work hard and look to get back in the win column Thursday against a quality opponent in PHS,” Hamel said.

With the loss, Saranac moves to 1–4–1, but the record doesn’t fully reflect the competitiveness the Spartans have shown. They’ll look to turn that energy into results when they travel to Plattsburgh High School on Thursday.

(Note: PSN stories are drafted with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence and coach questionnaires, but all factual reporting, onsite observations, insight into what happened and why, interviews, and final editing is provided by Potassium Sports Network staff. For post-game video interviews, athletes are asked for their consent and coaches confirm participation. For more details, please visit https://potassiumsportsnetwork.com/about-psn).